Pierce COVID-19 Faculty & Staff Updates

Pierce COVID-19 Faculty & Staff Updates

April 2, 2020 - Information about COVID-19 Testing
From the City of Los Angeles

At this time, testing is limited in Los Angeles. We are working to expand testing as quickly as possible to provide this service to all Angelenos who need it.

For the moment, these tests are strictly limited to residents of Los Angeles County who are in the most high-risk categories and most vulnerable.

You can find out if you are eligible for testing on this webpage:  https://lacovidprod.service-now.com/rrs

Individuals eligible for testing at this time include:

• Those with symptoms who are 65 and older
• Those with symptoms who have underlying chronic health conditions
• Those who are subject to a mandatory 14 day quarantine period due to a confirmed COVID-19 exposure (with more than 7 days of quarantine remaining)

For people who prefer not to visit a drive-through test center, there are a limited number of tests available at a walk-in clinic. Select the Carbon Health-Echo Park . For more questions about testing, please visit our FAQ for answers to frequently asked questions.

March 30, 2020 - President Montevirgen Welcomes Back Brahma Community

Pierce College Brahma Community,

As classes and student services resume online today I have never been prouder to call Pierce College my home.

Faculty and staff, I thank you for sacrificing your personal time over these last several weeks to bring your classes and departments online and I commend your tireless commitment to being the best at what you do. Your work changes lives and the Pierce College community is forever grateful to you.

Students, thank you for your patience during this transition and for refusing to let the present crisis deter you from your dreams of a brighter future. Now, more than ever, we are counting on you to make that dream come true. To help you during this transition, please know:

• If you need a laptop visit the student portal. After logging in, look for the “Financial Aid and Scholarships” icon tile. Click on “Scholarships” and look for the laptop application option.
• If you need free WIFI access, visit the Charter Communications website to learn how to apply.
• If you have Canvas or technology issues, visit our Pierce Online student resources page.
• All counseling, financial aid, admissions and registration for summer and fall, and other student support departments are open, online, to serve you. Click here if you need assistance: http://www.piercecollege.edu/pierce_students.asp.

To keep you updated about the latest COVID-19 developments, we are regularly posting information to the District’s website www.laccd.edu/coronavirus and FAQ page. You are also invited to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news.  College specific updates and information can also be found on the Pierce college website at: www.piercecollege.edu.

The unprecedented challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic have impacted our daily lives in ways none of us could ever have imagined. But in this time of uncertainty, one thing has become clear: the critical role community colleges continue to play for our students, our communities, our state and our nation.

The coming months will bring many challenges, but with the support of our amazing faculty and the commitment of our fearless students, we will meet them head on.

We are all in this together. And we will get out of this together, too.

In unity and in health,

Alexis S. Montevirgen, Ed.D.
College President
Los Angeles Pierce College

March 29, 2020 - It's Back to Class for LACCD Students -- The Online Classroom

Full Expansion of FREE NetTutor online help for Students Announced

Tens of thousands of Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) students return to the classroom on Monday, March 30, 2020 -- the online classroom that is!
 
In the past two weeks since the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools and colleges across the nation to temporarily suspend instruction, including LACCD, the District’s faculty, administration and staff have worked non-stop to shift about 95 percent of all in-classroom courses to an online learning environment, as well as remote work platforms for business operations, to help fight against the community spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus.
 
A special “Welcome Back” message from LACCD Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez, Ph.D., was released today as part of the outpouring of supportive messages to come from LACCD Board of Trustees President Andra Hoffman, from the College Presidents and others throughout the District to reassure students that the Colleges of Los Angeles are online and ready for them.
 
“I cannot be more proud of the work by the District’s faculty and staff to serve our students during this public health crisis.  It is incredible to think that in just two short weeks, thousands of classes have been moved online, nearly 2,000 faculty have been trained and we are ready to teach and learn in the online world.  We know it will not be perfect, but we also know that we are in this together,” Board President Hoffman said.
 
Chancellor Rodriguez said this has been “a truly historic and amazing all-hands-on-deck moment” for everyone throughout the District’s nine colleges and central office, as every facet of the organization has been impacted.  “We are especially grateful to the faculty and staff, all of our employee bargaining units, all of the executive and administrative staff, and all who have pitched in to quickly pivot to virtual learning and work environments.  I am truly inspired and awed.  It is a real testament to the talent, fierce dedication and will of this organization to serve and educate students.”
 
Chancellor Rodriguez announced also today that the District is significantly expanding the line-up of classroom subjects available now for students completely FREE via NetTutor online.
 
Subjects now offered include Accounting, Administrative of Justice, Anatomy and Physiology, Anthropology, Astronomy, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Child Development, Communications and Speech, Computer Science and IT, Economics, English and Literature, ESL, Finance, French, FYE & College Student Success, Geology, German, History, Human Geography, Italian, Logic, Math (Algebra, Basic Math and Pre-Calculus), Math (Calculus and above), Math (Statistics and Probability), Music, Nursing and Health, Philosophy, Physical Geography, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish and Writing.
 
Tutoring subjects depend on what classes each college offers its students.  The colleges include Los Angeles City College, East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Harbor College, Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles Pierce College, Los Angeles Southwest College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Los Angeles Valley College and West Los Angeles College.
 
Other Important Reminders for All Students:

• The colleges remain physically closed, but open online!  There are no in-person student services available at the colleges, except for DSPS by scheduled appointment only.
• All Student Services are online, including Financial Aid, DSPS/OSS, EOP&S, Admissions & Records, International Student Center and Counseling that respond to questions using instant messaging with virtual chat on your student portal.
• Student Help Desk Available.  If students need password, login or navigation help on the student portal, MyCollege.laccd.edu, call the toll free number at (844) 695-2223, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Summer Session is just around the corner and it will be all online!  Stay enrolled for this important term.  More details soon about registration schedules for students

 
If students have not done so already, all LACCD students are advised to click on the ”Getting Started” link at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-18585-getting-started-with-canvas-as-a-student and to also review the online student guide for Canvas at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10701-canvas-student-guide-table-of-contents.
 
The California Community College’s California Virtual Campus-Online Education Initiative (OEI) is covering the NetTutor costs while instruction is taught online due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
 
The District is now working on plans for classes that did not convert online, with a projected resumption date of Monday, May 4, 2020.  Only about 175 classes could not be shifted under the current health restrictions and social distancing orders.  The Chancellor has directed an update on this action no later than April 17 2020 and updated information shared as soon as possible.
 
Early Withdrawal & Refunds for Students
State authority has been granted to allow students to withdraw from classes because of the current crisis.  If a student wants to withdraw, the student will receive an excused withdrawal (EW) on their transcript.  The EW will not count against a student’s academic progress requirements and appropriate refunds will be made.  All Students are encouraged to stay enrolled, but if they decided to do so, they need to contact their education counselors and financial aid office now.
 
All updated information will continue to be posted on the District’s website: www.laccd.edu/coronavirus including an updated Frequently Asked Questions and information in Spanish.  Additional information is on the District’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LACCD/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/laccd.  California Community College is at: https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Chancellors-Office/Divisions/Communications-and-Marketing/Novel-Coronavirus
 
Prevention and Hygiene recommendations from LACDPH continues to be:

• If you are sick for any reason, stay home!
• Call your doctor or healthcare provider for direction
• Follow all Health Orders, including the “Safer at Home” order from state and local officials
• Symptoms to watch for include a fever over 100.4 degrees; cough or shortness of breath
• Frequent and complete hand washing for at least 20 seconds
• Stay six feet or more away from strangers and those who are ill
• Stop shaking hands with others to reduce the spread of germs
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Sneeze and cough into a tissue or your sleeve, safely throw away used tissues

March 26, 2020 - New Protocol for Staff Regarding COVID-19 Exposure Incidents

Any staff that has positive for COVID-19 OR is experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19 exposure must report the incident immediately to their supervisor. Any staff that has a co-worker who contacts them about testing positive for COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should also reported to their supervisor.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the current symptoms include: 

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

The CDC’s “emergency warning signs” of coronavirus includes:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face

Initial Supervisor Response to Report from a Co-Worker Related to COVID-19

If an employee reports to you that they have tested positive for COVID-19, or a coworker informs you that one of their co-worker tested positive for COVID-19 give the affected employee the following information:

• Immediately home isolate
• Call your doctor or healthcare provider for further direction
• Continue to monitor your symptoms closely and seek medical care as soon as possible if symptoms get worse
• Keep in contact with their immediate supervisor with updates on your condition
• Encourage them to make arrangements with their supervisor for any special needs or help
• Remind them to contact with, and remain in contact with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
• If they are having difficulty breathing or keeping fluids down, go to an emergency room, urgent care, or call 911

Further Guidance to Supervisor

If an employee reports to you that they have not tested for COVID-19, but are experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus, including fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing, the instructor will give the following instructions to the student:

• Immediately home isolate
• Call your doctor or healthcare provider for direction
• Monitor your symptoms closely and seek medical care as soon as possible if symptoms get worse · Keep in contact with your supervisor with updates on your condition
• Encourage them to make arrangements with their supervisor for any special needs or help
• Call your doctor if you have had close contact with a person who has a confirmed case of COVID-19
• Stay informed with official information from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
• If you are having difficulty breathing or keeping fluids down, go to an emergency room, urgent care, or call 911

Supervisor’s Steps To Informing Other Employees

If an employee has been in the office or workplace environment within 14 days of reporting to you of experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or has tested positive, you should tell other co-workers who may also be impacted:

“A co-worker in our (INSERT NAME OF Department/division, workplace environment, NOT co-worker’s name) is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (OR INSERT “has tested positive for COVID-19”) and you may have been exposed to the virus. Please monitor yourself for symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever and dry cough. In an abundance of caution, it is recommended that you voluntarily self-quarantine and make arrangements with your supervisor for any work projects or assignments to be done remotely. If you experience any symptoms, please call your doctor before going in to seek care. Additional information is available at: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/.”

Any staff member who has a co-worker reporting a positive test for, or experiencing symptoms of, COVID-19 should follow the same instructions given to employee if they have been in contact with the employee within the past 14 days. Namely, they should home isolate for 14 days and carefully self-monitor for symptoms, and call their doctor for direction. The staff member should also immediately inform their direct supervisor so that any additional notifications can be sent as needed.

March 23, 2020 - New Protocol for Faculty Regarding COVID-19 Exposure Incidents
From the LACCD

Any instructor that has a student who contacts them about testing positive for COVID-19 OR is experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19 exposure must report the incident immediately to the Office of the President, the phone numbers for all Presidents are online at www.laccd.edu/coronavirus.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the current symptoms include:
 Fever
 Cough
 Shortness of breath

The CDC’s “emergency warning signs” of coronavirus includes:
 Trouble breathing
 Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
 New confusion or inability to arouse
 Bluish lips or face

Initial Faculty Response to Report from Student Related to COVID-19

If a student reports to a faculty member that they have tested positive for COVID-19, the instructor will give the following instructions to the student:

 Immediately home isolate
 Call your doctor or healthcare provider for further direction
 Continue to monitor your symptoms closely and seek medical care as soon as possible if symptoms get worse
 Keep in contact with your instructor with updates on your condition
 Make arrangements with your instructor for class accommodations
 Make sure you immediately get in contact with, and remain in contact with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
 If you are having difficulty breathing or keeping fluids down, go to an emergency room, urgent care, or call 911

Further Guidance to Faculty Member

If a student reports to a faculty member that they have not tested for COVID-19, but are experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus, including fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing, the instructor will give the following instructions to the student: 

 Immediately home isolate
 Call your doctor or healthcare provider for direction
 Monitor your symptoms closely and seek medical care as soon as possible if symptoms get worse
 Keep in contact with your instructor with updates on your condition
 Make arrangements with your instructor for class accommodations
 Call your doctor if you have had close contact with a person who has a confirmed case of COVID-19
 If you are having difficulty breathing or keeping fluids down, go to an emergency room, urgent care, or call 911

Steps To Informing Other Students

If the student has been in a classroom within 14 days of reporting to their instructor of experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or has tested positive, the instructor will inform other students with the following message:

“A student in our (INSERT NAME OF CLASS, NOT STUDENT) class is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (OR INSERT “has tested positive for COVID-19”) and you may have been exposed to the virus. Please monitor yourself for symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever and dry cough. In an abundance of caution, it is recommended that you voluntarily self-quarantine and make arrangements with me for class accommodations. If you experience any symptoms, please call your doctor before going in to seek care. Additional information is available at: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/.”

Any instructor who has a student reporting a positive test for, or experiencing symptoms of, COVID-19 should follow the same instructions given to students if they have been in contact with the student within the past 14 days. Namely, they should home isolate for 14 days and carefully self-monitor for symptoms, and call their doctor for direction. The instructor should also immediately inform their direct supervisor so that the college can send out further notifications as needed.

March 21, 2020 - Message to Pierce College Community from President Montevirgen
Re: Campus Access 

Colleagues,

Following the “safer at home” order, we are establishing a temporary protocol that limits regular access to the campus to only those employees who are deemed essential for business continuity.  However, some faculty and staff may need to get back into their offices to pick up necessary paperwork and instructional materials.

The Los Angeles Sherriff’s Department (LASD) will assist us in monitoring access.  We will have LASD personnel at a designated entrance point from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at least through April 18.  We are working with our LASD team to identify where to enter and we will have more details developed by end of day, Monday, March 23, 2020.

If you are working remotely and coming to pick up or drop off items, the following protocol will be followed:

1. When you come to campus you must be checked in by LASD personnel at the entrance point (Winnetka entrance).
2. You will need to identify yourself and the building you will enter entering.
3. Please limit your stay in your office to a maximum of one hour.  If you must stay longer, please make arrangements with your supervisor, who will then confirm with the Sheriff’s Department.  Please note that "staying longer" does not mean spending a regular work day in your office.  The goal is for you to pick up your materials and immediately leave campus.
4. While you are in the building to quickly pick up materials, please refrain from using the restrooms.  We are sanitizing the facilities and we do not want our custodians to have to do double the work.

Thanks for your adherence to this temporary protocol.

In unity and in health,

Alexis S. Montevirgen, Ed.D.
College President
Los Angeles Pierce College

NOTE:   As this situation is constantly changing and evolving, the below message is current as of 4:00 PM on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

March 19, 2020 - Message to Pierce College Community from President Montevirgen
Re: State of Emergency Declared at LACCD

Colleagues,

The college has been engaging in a tremendous amount of work over the last few days in our goal of transitioning to remote operations, and I want to give you the latest information on how Los Angeles Pierce College is seeking to limit any potential transmission of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in accordance with the changing recommendations and guidelines from local, state, and Federal authorities. We remain steadfast in staying the course to make these transitions as smooth as possible for the entire campus community in this time of upheaval to our normal operations.  I want to thank each of you for your continued patience and understanding as we undertake this unprecedented transition.

Last night in another emergency meeting, the LACCD Board of Trustees passed a resolution to declare a State of Emergency for the District and its nine colleges. This action allows the Chancellor to activate the District Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate with the colleges for resources, business operations, security and other issues during the declared emergency in a streamlined and efficient manner.  The District EOC as well as Incident Command Centers (ICCs) at each of the colleges have been activated. 

We are uniquely positioned to ramp up our campus Incident Command Center because we have four Pierce COVID-19 Response Team sub-groups in place, and these teams have already been meeting all this week.

• We have held numerous meetings with the Pierce College COVID-19 Response Teams, made up of 36 faculty, staff, and students who represent broad participation from our constituencies.
• As of now, we are moving not only classes, but business operations and services to remote delivery.
• Our Response Teams parallel the four District Response Teams, made up of (A) Health and Safety, (B) Business and Staff Continuity, (C) Academic and Student Continuity, and (D) General Communications.
• Several of our faculty and staff are serving on both District and Pierce Response Teams

As we continue to make progress under these teams we will be sharing out information and doing our best to mitigate problems that arise.

We are moving very quickly to transition to delivering all services remotely per the direction of the District COVID-19 Response Team guidance this morning. Some of these efforts include:

• Working with the District and our sister colleges to be as consistent and transparent as we can during this crisis, seeking to achieve and communicate in a unified voice.
• Our website is being updated to reflect Faculty and Staff, Student, and District COVID-19 updates on a new landing page you will be able to access from our home page.
• We are working with the District to get more supplies, from cleaning supplies/chemicals all the way to laptops and webcams. Today the first 50 Chromebooks are being delivered from the District for Pierce faculty and staff use and we are beginning to coordinate the distribution of these items.

In order to provide more regular updates to the campus community, we will be scheduling regular public zoom meetings where members of the campus community can join in to get the most current updates directly from the College President and the co-chairs of the four campus response teams.  The first of these public zoom meetings will be scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, March 20^th at noon.  More information on how to join these zoom meetings will be posted as soon as those details are available.

We are continually monitoring the COVID-19 situation and are working closely with district, county, state, and Federal authorities. We encourage you to view status updates at www.laccd.edu, as well as a direct link to the district-wide Coronavirus/COVID-19 webpage from the Pierce College website (www.piercecollege.edu).

In unity and in health,

Alexis S. Montevirgen, Ed.D.
College President
Los Angeles Pierce College

NOTE:   As this situation is constantly changing and evolving, the below message is current as of 4:20 PM on Sunday, March 15, 2020.

March 15, 2020 - Message to Pierce College Community from President Montevirgen
Re: First Priority is Safety; Transition to Working Remotely

Colleagues,

Faculty and staff members should come to work tomorrow, Monday, as we determine who needs to remain on campus, who can work remotely, and who can eventually telecommute (with the goal of shifting as many people to working remotely/telecommuting as soon as possible).  Until we are able to get to that point, we will attempt to incorporate social distancing guidelines in each office, and we will move as quickly as possible towards the spirit of the Chancellor’s messages and the Board’s action of moving to remote operations.  Further, faculty and staff training will continue as planned, but will be expanded to provide more opportunities throughout the entire week.

Please also know that our facilities and custodial staff are doing their best to ensure that during this time, our facilities are continually monitored and clean for those who are on campus.  The disinfecting of all buildings (including bathrooms) is already in-process, and we are using a special 360 disinfection spray machine for this.  Facilities staff will also be taking advantage of the opportunity with reduced student traffic over these next few weeks to complete the disinfecting process as well as the shampooing of carpets and other general facilities cleaning.

If you have not had a chance to read the thorough coverage by our student newspaper of yesterday’s Emergency Board of Trustees meeting, I encourage you to read it here:

https://theroundupnews.com/2020/03/14/emergency-meeting-of-the-laccd-board/

Kudos to student reporter Arielle Zolezzi and the entire RoundUp team for covering the emergency meeting and even live-streaming the event through social media as it was taking place.

I want to echo and underscore the comments made by District Academic Senate President Angela Echeverri in the article, “I think the first priority is safety. We are concerned about instructional continuity and services, but number one is safety,” Echeverri said. “Things have changed so quickly, especially within the last 24 hours that we are in a whole new paradigm. So we need time to transition while being able to provide the education and services that students deserve and need ”

I also understand that many of you continue to have critical and important questions and concerns.  Please continue to forward those on to us but please also understand that a good number of your questions and concerns, unfortunately, cannot be fully answered yet.  We are working as fast as we can to get you the answers to your questions.

A link to the district’s Updated COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information webpage can be found directly from our main Pierce College website, www.pierceollege.edu, and I ask you all to continue to visit the site frequently for the most current updates and information.  Attached you will also find a district news release from earlier today.

In closing, we must continue to rely on each other to demonstrate kindness, empathy, and professionalism, especially during this time of crisis. In turn, our students are relying on us to support them and provide a safe and secure learning environment, whether that be in-person or remotely. I truly appreciate your commitment and flexibility as we gear up for a very intense effort to bring our college into remote operations.  I value and appreciate all of you as we continue to navigate this constantly evolving and changing situation.

In unity and in health,

Alexis S. Montevirgen, Ed.D.
College President
Los Angeles Pierce College

March 14, 2020 - Message to Pierce College Community from President Montevirgen
Re: Four Key Actions Taken at LACCD Board of Trustees Emergency Meeting

Colleagues,

By now, many of you should have received the latest update from District Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez in regards to the Board of Trustees taking action at an emergency meeting held this afternoon to:

• Suspend all classes Monday, March 16 through Sunday, March 29.
  
  
• Move the District’s Spring Break to run Monday, March 23 through Sunday, March 29 instead of the currently scheduled break, April 6-11.
  
  
• Suspend in-person services at the colleges, March 16-28.  During this time, there will be many offices at the colleges that will also be closed to the public and some staff will begin to work remotely throughout this period with supervisorial approval.
  
  
• Begin remote learning (online education) and remote business operations on Monday, March 30 through the end of the spring semester.

Prior to their deliberations on this matter, the Board of Trustees received and heard public comment from numerous members of the various constituency groups including leadership from district and college Academic Senates as well as faculty and staff representing the various collective bargaining units across the district.

This decision was not made easily, and it was clear that no decision or option before the Board would come without any unintended disruption or inconvenience.  However, the Board’s focus continued to be on how to address the health, safety, and wellbeing of all its constituents while also ensuring that the continuity and ability for the district to deliver on its educational commitment was preserved.

We are definitely not alone in our situation, as many of our neighboring K-12 districts, colleges, and universities are facing similar decisions.  In fact, we are seeing this occurring not just locally, but throughout the country and throughout the world given the unprecedented nature of the global pandemic we are currently facing.

At the campus level, I am grateful to have had the participation of a broad group of campus colleagues when I convened a COVID-19 Campus Update Team last Monday to bring folks together to discuss how we would be responding to COVID-19 as a campus.  The events of just the last few days since that meeting, and how fast the situation has evolved and changed almost as quickly as from one minute to the next, is something that I do not believe anyone could have predicted, which is also why our Board of Trustees ended up needing to hold its emergency meeting this afternoon.

The COVID-19 Campus Update Team, with the following current membership, and modeled after the District’s COVID-19 Response Team structure, will meet again on Monday to be brought up to speed on today’s board action and we will be sure to share more information with the campus after our meeting.  (Specific team assignments are not set in stone, and there may still be some movement and additions.)

Team A: Health and Safety

• Rodney Allen
• Beth Benne
• Melody Cooper
• Paul Nieman
• Nick Saldivar
• Lazaro Sanchez

Team B: Business Continuity/Technology

• Kristine Ayvazyan
• Sharon Baker
• Gerald Doucette
• Mark Henderson
• Suleman Ishaque
• Miguel Montanez
• Fernando Oleas
• Bruce Rosky

Team C: Continuity of Academic/Student Operations

• Barbara Anderson
• Wendy Bass
• Sheri Berger
• Katya Castillo
• Earic Dixon-Peters
• Curt Duffy
• Michael Gend
• Brian Gendron
• Brandon Le
• Brian Walsh

Team D: General Communications (*denotes also on another team)

• Barbara Anderson*
• Juan Carlos Astorga
• Beth Benne*
• Doreen Clay
• Mary Anne Gavarra-Oh
• Malina Koani
• Will Marmolejo
• Rolf Schleicher

In closing, I again want to acknowledge and thank each of you for your commitment to our campus community, and I ask for your continued patience and understanding as we, together, get through this unprecedented situation that we face.  I also know that many of you continue to have questions and concerns which we do not necessarily have the answers for at the moment.  Know that we will continue to work together to try and get ourselves through this.  I am confident that Pierce College will be able to make it through this together!

In unity and in health,

Alexis S. Montevirgen, Ed.D.
College President
Los Angeles Pierce College

March 9, 2020 - Message to Pierce College Community from President Montevirgen
Re: Notification about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Dear Los Angeles Pierce College Students, Faculty and Staff,

As the President of Los Angeles Pierce College, nothing is more important to me than the safety and wellbeing of our college community.

In that spirit of concern, I want to share with you that on Saturday, March 7, the college received word that five Pierce College students were part of the 20,000 people who attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington, D.C., March 1-3, 2020. Health officials have announced that there are three confirmed positive tests among attendees of the conference for the 2019 novel coronavirus, including two in New York and a third case of COVID-19 announced this weekend by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has NOT notified Pierce College with any concerns connecting our students or campus environment in connection with either the New York or Los Angeles cases.

It is important that you hear these facts directly from me, rather than through rumors or speculation.  I also encourage you to read the Health Department’s full statement about this new case concerning the LA county resident online at:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/media/mediapubhpdetail.cfm?prid=2256 

Specifically, the Health Department announced in connection with this new case:

“Public Health is identifying persons who may have had close personal contact with this individual, including any friends, family members or health care professionals, to assess and monitor them for signs and symptoms of illness has begun.  All confirmed cases are isolated and close contacts are quarantined for 14 days from last exposure.  There are no known public exposure locations related to this case.”

We have already reached out to our students and none of them have reported to us that they were contacted by Public Health in connection with the social tracking history of the confirmed case or to be placed in quarantine.  They have told us they are healthy and are following the previously announced guidelines that all of us should be using for personal hygiene.

 Remember, the most important things we all can do right now is:

• frequently wash your hands with soap and water;
• if you are sick, stay home;
• cover coughs and sneezes;
• avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, especially with unwashed hands;
• stay calm and stay informed.Go to the County’s Public Health website for more information about coronavirus and COVID-19 at:  http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/.

If you have specific college-related questions about this situation please call my office at (818) 719-6408.  For health services related concerns, please visit the Student Health Center on campus or call (818) 710-4270.

In unity and in health,

Alexis

---

Alexis S. Montevirgen, Ed.D.
College President
Los Angeles Pierce College

March 30, 2020 - President Montevirgen Welcomes Back Brahma Community

Pierce College Brahma Community,

As classes and student services resume online today I have never been prouder to call Pierce College my home.

Faculty and staff, I thank you for sacrificing your personal time over these last several weeks to bring your classes and departments online and I commend your tireless commitment to being the best at what you do. Your work changes lives and the Pierce College community is forever grateful to you.

Students, thank you for your patience during this transition and for refusing to let the present crisis deter you from your dreams of a brighter future. Now, more than ever, we are counting on you to make that dream come true. To help you during this transition, please know:

• If you need a laptop visit the student portal. After logging in, look for the “Financial Aid and Scholarships” icon tile. Click on “Scholarships” and look for the laptop application option.
• If you need free WIFI access, visit the Charter Communications website to learn how to apply.
• If you have Canvas or technology issues, visit our Pierce Online student resources page.
• All counseling, financial aid, admissions and registration for summer and fall, and other student support departments are open, online, to serve you. Click here if you need assistance: http://www.piercecollege.edu/pierce_students.asp.

To keep you updated about the latest COVID-19 developments, we are regularly posting information to the District’s website www.laccd.edu/coronavirus and FAQ page. You are also invited to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news.  College specific updates and information can also be found on the Pierce college website at: www.piercecollege.edu.

The unprecedented challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic have impacted our daily lives in ways none of us could ever have imagined. But in this time of uncertainty, one thing has become clear: the critical role community colleges continue to play for our students, our communities, our state and our nation.

The coming months will bring many challenges, but with the support of our amazing faculty and the commitment of our fearless students, we will meet them head on.

We are all in this together. And we will get out of this together, too.

In unity and in health,

Alexis S. Montevirgen, Ed.D.
College President
Los Angeles Pierce College

March 29, 2020 - It's Back to Class for LACCD Students -- The Online Classroom

Full Expansion of FREE NetTutor online help for Students Announced

• The colleges remain physically closed, but open online!  There are no in-person student services available at the colleges, except for DSPS by scheduled appointment only.
• All Student Services are online, including Financial Aid, DSPS/OSS, EOP&S, Admissions & Records, International Student Center and Counseling that respond to questions using instant messaging with virtual chat on your student portal.
• Student Help Desk Available.  If students need password, login or navigation help on the student portal, MyCollege.laccd.edu, call the toll free number at (844) 695-2223, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Summer Session is just around the corner and it will be all online!  Stay enrolled for this important term.  More details soon about registration schedules for students

The District is now working on plans for classes that did not convert online, with a projected resumption date of Monday, May 4, 2020.  Only about 175 classes could not be shifted under the current health restrictions and social distancing orders.  The Chancellor has directed an update on this action no later than April 17 2020 and updated information shared as soon as possible.

State authority has been granted to allow students to withdraw from classes because of the current crisis.  If a student wants to withdraw, the student will receive an excused withdrawal (EW) on their transcript.  The EW will not count against a student’s academic progress requirements and appropriate refunds will be made.  All Students are encouraged to stay enrolled, but if they decided to do so, they need to contact their education counselors and financial aid office now.

• If you are sick for any reason, stay home!
• Call your doctor or healthcare provider for direction
• Follow all Health Orders, including the “Safer at Home” order from state and local officials
• Symptoms to watch for include a fever over 100.4 degrees; cough or shortness of breath
• Frequent and complete hand washing for at least 20 seconds
• Stay six feet or more away from strangers and those who are ill
• Stop shaking hands with others to reduce the spread of germs
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Sneeze and cough into a tissue or your sleeve, safely throw away used tissues

March 29, 2020 - It's Back to Class for LACCD Students -- The Online Classroom

Full Expansion of FREE NetTutor online help for Students Announced

• The colleges remain physically closed, but open online!  There are no in-person student services available at the colleges, except for DSPS by scheduled appointment only.
• All Student Services are online, including Financial Aid, DSPS/OSS, EOP&S, Admissions & Records, International Student Center and Counseling that respond to questions using instant messaging with virtual chat on your student portal.
• Student Help Desk Available.  If students need password, login or navigation help on the student portal, MyCollege.laccd.edu, call the toll free number at (844) 695-2223, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Summer Session is just around the corner and it will be all online!  Stay enrolled for this important term.  More details soon about registration schedules for students

The District is now working on plans for classes that did not convert online, with a projected resumption date of Monday, May 4, 2020.  Only about 175 classes could not be shifted under the current health restrictions and social distancing orders.  The Chancellor has directed an update on this action no later than April 17 2020 and updated information shared as soon as possible.

State authority has been granted to allow students to withdraw from classes because of the current crisis.  If a student wants to withdraw, the student will receive an excused withdrawal (EW) on their transcript.  The EW will not count against a student’s academic progress requirements and appropriate refunds will be made.  All Students are encouraged to stay enrolled, but if they decided to do so, they need to contact their education counselors and financial aid office now.

• If you are sick for any reason, stay home!
• Call your doctor or healthcare provider for direction
• Follow all Health Orders, including the “Safer at Home” order from state and local officials
• Symptoms to watch for include a fever over 100.4 degrees; cough or shortness of breath
• Frequent and complete hand washing for at least 20 seconds
• Stay six feet or more away from strangers and those who are ill
• Stop shaking hands with others to reduce the spread of germs
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Sneeze and cough into a tissue or your sleeve, safely throw away used tissues